Incubation centres must for technical institutes: AICTE

The government has made it mandatory for all technical institutes to set up incubation centres to promote start-ups and entrepreneurship.

In a revised set of regulations notified recently, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has also made it mandatory for the institutes to arrange “frequent interactions” of the students and faculty members with the entrepreneurs, industrialists and alumni to motivate them for undertaking innovative start-up projects.

“Presently, the institutions are ranked based on academic performance and placement of the students. In future, it may also be based on a number of start-ups and entrepreneurs created by the institute,” the technical education regulator said, citing reasons for making the establishment of incubation centres and industry linkage mandatory for all technical institutes.

All technical institutes “shall” create a separate budget and provide financial assistance to their faculty members for strengthening research activities, the AICTE rules provide.

“The thrust has to be given for improving quality of research and development in the Universities/Institutions,” it also stipulates.

The AICTE's regulations on pay scales, service conditions and minimum qualifications for the appointment of teachers and academic staff as well as measures for the maintenance of standards in technical institutions come into immediate effect with its notification in an official gazetted on March 1.

It stipulates for giving adequate facilities to both newly recruited faculty members and those already recruited to enable them have access to the latest technology and become “computer savvy.”

“New entrants, as well as existing faculty members of the degree level institutions, should be provided with a desktop computer/ laptop/ office furniture and a printer with internet connectivity in their office so as to make a faculty member computer savvy and to enable them to have access to the latest technology,” the regulations provide.

The AICTE has also brought in a provision for giving a grant upto Rs 75,000 per annum to the faculty members for their professional development.

“All teachers may be given a grant up to Rs 75,000 per year on a reimbursement basis, which may be permitted to be accumulated up to 3 years towards acquiring the membership of professional societies and for participating in national/ international conferences/workshops etc,” the regulations stipulate.